Silver was born in Hinsdale, Illinois. He is a longtime contributing editor to SF Site and has written that site's news page since its inception. In 2003, he co-edited three anthologies with Martin H. Greenberg, Wondrous Beginnings, Magical Beginnings, and Horrible Beginnings, which reprinted the first published stories of authors in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres. From 2004 through 2012 he was the publisher and editor of ISFiC Press. Silver published his first short story, "Les Lettres de Paston", in the final issue of Helix SF. Silver had earlier written a column on alternate history for the magazine. In 2009 and 2010, he edited the two volume Selected Stories of Lester del Rey for NESFA Press. The first volume is entitled War and Space and appeared in August, 2009. The second volume, Robots and Magic was published in February 2010. Silver's first novel, After Hastings, an alternate history in which Harold Godwinson prevented the Norman conquest of Britain by defeating William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings, was published by Ring of Fire Press in July of 2020.
Fandom
Sidewise and Nebula Awards
In 1995, he founded the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and has served as a judge ever since. He was on the short story jury for the Nebula Award in 2002, and on the novel jury for the Nebula Award in 2003, 2006, and chaired the novel jury in 2008. In 2005, Silver was one of the co-ordinators of the Nebula weekend in Chicago. In 2008, he was appointed SFWA Event Coordinator and has helped run the Nebula Award Weekends in that capacity since 2009.
Fanzines
Silver is known as an on-line reviewer and has written several articles for science fiction fanzines, as well as publishing his own annual fanzine Argentus, which was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Fanzine in 2008, 2009, and 2010, and won the Chronic Rift Roundtable Award for Best Fanzine in 2009 and the monthly APA-zine Plata. He has guest edited two issues of Journey Planet.
Conventions
In addition to his writing and editing activities, Silver is involved in running science fiction conventions. He has chaired Windycon three times, founded Midfan and chaired the first Midwest Construction, and ran programming for Chicon 2000, the Worldcon. From 1998 through 2006 and again from 2008, he sat on the board of directors for ISFiC. He served as a vice chair for Chicon 7 in 2012.
Personal background
In 2000, Silver appeared on Jeopardy! winning two days and coming in second on his third day. He won $15,000.
Novels
After Hastings,
Short fiction
Les Lettres de Paston, original publish in Helix SF magazine, but has been republished on SF Site
